Weston man commits suicide at Lauderdale Lakes shooting range

The Broward Sheriff's Office identified the victim as a 47-year-old Weston man, but did not release his name.

The suicide occurred at about 10:45 a.m. at 4325 North State Road 7, said Veda Coleman, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office.

"He shot himself there at the gun range," Coleman said. "He did leave behind a note."

No other details about the incident were released.

The range, which rents out weapons, operates from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

A manager at the range and accompanying store declined to provide details about the incident or give his name.

"Given the upset that it causes the family, it's not really for us to provide that kind of information. That's not appropriate," the manager said. "None of us are authorized to talk about it."

David Wilpon, 48, of Cooper City, said he arrived to do some shooting just as police were taping off the crime scene, which extended from the store out into the parking lot. Witnesses stood behind the tape, he said.

"The witnesses were kind of quiet, I guess reflective like they couldn't believe what had happened," Wilpon said. "[Range employees] would just say, 'There was an accident here.'"

It wasn't a particularly busy hour at the range, Wilpon said, but word quickly circulated that a suicide had occurred and a police officer confirmed that it was true.

Wilpon said he saw a crime-scene investigator search the suicide victim's silver car in the parking lot, retrieve and photograph a multi-page, typed letter.